Tracking the Activity of the Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS through its Perihelion
T. Marshall Eubanks, Craig E. DeForest, Kevin J. Walsh, Simon Porter, Thomas Lehmann, Bruce G. Bills, Adam Hibberd, W. Paul Blase, Andreas M. Hein, Robert G. Kennedy III, Adrien Coffinet, Pierre Kervella, Carlos Gomez de Olea Ballester
TL;DR
This study combines ground and space-based observations to monitor and predict the optical properties of interstellar object 3I/ATLAS during its perihelion, enhancing understanding of its activity and visibility.
Contribution
It introduces a comprehensive method for tracking interstellar objects using combined observational data, including space-based solar coronagraphs and the PUNCH mission.
Findings
Successful tracking of 3I/ATLAS's optical magnitude during perihelion
Demonstrated the utility of space-based coronagraphs in observing interstellar objects
Provided predictions for the object's activity when not visible from Earth
Abstract
In order to facilitate interplanetary spacecraft observationsof 3I/ATLAS, we have monitored and predicted the optical properties of its coma using both ground and space-based observations. Here, we describe how the data from space-based solar coronagraphs and the PUNCH mission enabled tracking of 3I/ATLAS's optical magnitude throughout its entire perihelion passage, including the period between October 8 and 30, 2025, when it was not visible from Earth.
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Taxonomy
TopicsGamma-ray bursts and supernovae · Astronomy and Astrophysical Research · Astro and Planetary Science